Meet Joe Antonacci ’80: Chair of the College of White Plains of Pace University (CWP/Pace) Alumni Committee

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The Pace Alumni Association’s new College of White Plains of Pace University (CWP/Pace) Alumni Committee Chair, Joe Antonacci ‘80, knew as early as fourth grade that he wanted to write for a newspaper. From a young age, Joe recalls reading the Sunday paper religiously. 

“I would read the Arts and Leisure section of the Sunday Times, just to see what movies were playing in the city and what music was being made,” Joe said. “I liked the articles and the ads, and after that I would look at the book review, of all things—and then the news. My father used to get angry because he’d bring the paper home and I would be hogging it.”

Joe dreamt of one day writing for a newspaper: A dream he chose to pursue at the College of White Plains, shortly following its 1975 consolidation with Pace University. For Joe, the tight-knit community and vibrant campus represented “the quintessential American college experience.” Drawn in from the moment he set foot on school grounds, Joe committed early decision to continue his education at the College of White Plains of Pace University.

“In high school, I was not what you would call an honor student,” Joe reflected. “Truthfully, I was more of a juvenile delinquent. The thing that really saved me was I always did well on standardized tests. When I toured the College of White Plains at Pace and saw Preston Hall, there was something in me that just said, ‘This is the place I want to be.’ And it really changed my life, from the first day I was on campus.”

At CWP/Pace, Joe flourished academically and became deeply involved in campus life. “I went from somebody who was barely passing to somebody who was getting merit scholarships,” Joe said. “Somebody who wouldn’t participate in any extracurricular activities to the vice president of my class and a member of the student senate—and eventually, the features editor for the school paper.” Two weeks before graduating, Joe secured his first job as a reporter for a newspaper in Rockland County.

Joe worked as a reporter for about two years, before making an unexpected professional pivot. During his time at the paper, Joe had the opportunity to write an article profiling Bob Wolff, a legendary television and radio sportscaster, and Joe’s former journalism professor at Pace. After the article came out, Bob called Joe and asked if he would ever be interested in working in public relations. Joe soon found himself working for Herb Falk in Pace University’s PR office, an opportunity he says positioned him for a fruitful career in the field.

Joe went on to work as a press spokesperson for Farleigh Dickinson University and the American Museum of Natural History. Eventually, he landed at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), working for Metro-North. As Metro-North had just recently been formed, following the MTA’s absorption of Conrail, the place was initially “kind of a mess,” according to Joe. “I thought I would just stay there for a year or two,” Joe said. “At first, I hated it. But the president of the company at the time, Peter Stangl, talked me into staying. And I wound up staying for 32 years.”

At Metro-North, Joe had the unique opportunity to combine his journalistic and public relations experience in a dynamic role. His responsibilities included writing employee publications, penning the president’s speeches, managing customer communications, and putting together award ceremonies. Later, as an internet presence began to become essential, he helped put together Metro-North’s early website and started the railroad’s social media presence.

Memorably, he also took over the writing of Metro-North’s customer publication, Mileposts, a pamphlet-newsletter that was both informational and entertaining. “It was this publication we used to drop on the seats,” Joe said. “It had a lot of humor in it; a self-deprecating style of writing. It was a lot of fun to do.”

Fulfilling as his tenure with Metro-North may have been, Joe swore that when he retired, he would never touch social media again. “It took up such a large portion of my life,” Joe said. “As much as I loved working for Metro-North, it was a very demanding job. I was on call 24/7.” Then came a call from previous CWP/Pace Committee Chair, Brian Donlon ’78, inviting Joe to drinks with some fellow alumni after work.

“I said, ‘Yeah, sure, it’d be great to see some of the old guys, right?’” Joe recalled. “So I got over there, and that’s when Brian sprung on me: ‘We’re trying to plan a College of White Plains of Pace University reunion coming up, and we need people reach out to alumni and let them know about it. If we gave you a list of emails, could you help us with the outreach?’ And I was like, ‘Fine, alright, you got me.’”

Alas, in his work with the Pace Alumni Association, Joe has undoubtedly violated his post-retirement social media moratorium. Nevertheless, his involvement has been anything but reluctant. “Seeing everybody again made me realize the importance of maintaining those relationships and keeping that sense of community,” he said. At the end of September 2025, Joe was named the new Alumni Association Committee Chair for the College of White Plains of Pace University, and he immediately began putting his talents to work to continue strengthening ties among CWP/Pace alumni.

“I’m very pleased with the response so far, and the energy and interest shown by the group,” Joe said of his efforts to date. “It’s been very encouraging to see that there’s still interest there, and that people want to be communicated with and reached—and I think the University can benefit from that kind of interest.”

As Committee Chair, Joe hopes to sustain and grow the online engagement he has seen so far, highlight the importance of the College of White Plains of Pace University as a part of Pace’s history, and keep his fellow CWP/Pace alumni informed and connected—both with each other and Pace University.

“I want them to know that the University is thinking about them, and I want to ensure Pace continues to be a part of their lives. There are challenges: We’re a smaller group, we’re dispersed geographically, we’re on the older side… But there’s still a way to keep the sense of community that defined our student experience alive, and I’m going to be working on ways to do that as committee chair.”